Seacom to increase IP investment in 2014

Nov 21, 2013

Seacom will focus on renewing its IP network in 2014, upgrading to new equipment to ensure that its enterprise customers have the best possible network experience.

CEO Mark Simpson says that, although Seacom is probably best known for its undersea fibre cable connecting Africa’s east coast with Europe and India, there is a lot of work being done to also connect Africa with Africa.

The company will also expand into nine new African markets in the new year. Although Seacom already offers products and services in some of these market, Simpson says having a physical presence will help the company to monitor its network as well as its customers’ needs.

Seacom will also continue to invest in new markets and new capacity, he adds. In 2013, the company invested in capacity between Johannesburg and Cape Town, enabling the east and west coasts of the continent to be joined.

Going forward, Seacom will look to more capacity on the west coast of Africa.

“We think the spread of the availability of broadband is as important now as it was when we first landed our cable and broke the bottleneck. What we need is to see more GDP growth and more involvement from SMEs.”